The Peoples Democratic Party has strongly condemns the Ambassadorial nominees list as submitted by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement released by the Party spokesman, Ini Ememobong, revealing that this development is not just a sad commentary on the country’s history of diplomatic representation, but also very reprehensible and scandalous.
The Party further said this list contains the names of many people (disgraced propagandists, characterless politicians, and public officials) who are widely perceived negatively by Nigerians and the global community, for their integrity deficit and notable anti-democratic activities.
“While most Nigerians are seriously appalled by the inclusion of most of the nominees, they are not totally surprised, given the history and disposition of this administration.
“Furthermore, it is an incontestable fact that a nominee is a clear and direct reflection of the values and estimation of the nominator.
“By making these nominations, the President has shown Nigerians that these are the best people he has to represent our country in the countries where they will be posted. 
“That it took the President almost three years to produce this list speaks to the paucity of excellent people within his reach”, the Party added.
The PDP specifically conveyed the disappointment of many right-thinking Nigerians on the nomination of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate-past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adding that Prof. Yakubu’s administration of the electoral umpire was characterised by countless double -speaks, flip-flops, undelivered promises, which ultimately resulted in the birth of this administration, which is struggling in all areas of governance. 
“To offer him an ambassadorial appointment at a time like this is an excellent exemplar of a skewed reward system, which we suspect is designed as an incentive to the new INEC Chairman, to also deliver flawed elections in 2027, in expectation of future rewards. This is absolutely scandalous and completely unacceptable.
“May we remind the President and all Nigerians that the respect a country gets from other countries can’t be separated from the integrity profile and public perception of both the President and the Ambassadors.
“So, appointing and sending ambassadors with tainted political profiles is not only a great disservice to Nigeria but a setup for a diplomatic all-time low”.
To this end, the Party demanded that President Bola Tinubu withdraw the said list and renominate only those with stellar democratic credentials and high moral standing, capable of commanding global respect for the ambassadorial assignments.Recalled that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sent names of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, days after he sent the first batch of three names.
In two separate letters to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the President asked the Senate to consider and confirm expeditiously 15 nominees as career ambassadors and 17 nominees as non-career ambassadors.
According to the statement released by his Spokesman revealed that there are four women on the career ambassadors’ list and six women on the non-career ambassadors’ list.
Among the non-career ambassador designates are Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia, a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta), former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmud Yakubu, former Ekiti first lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.Others are Tasiu Musa Maigari, the former speaker of the Katsina House of Assembly, Yakubu N. Gambo, a former Commissioner in Plateau State and former deputy executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, a former senator from Plateau; Otunba Femi Pedro, a former deputy governor of Lagos State; Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister from Osun State; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra State are on the nomination list.
Also on the list are former First Lady of Oyo, Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande, former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent, former governor of Abia, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, businessman, lawyer and Senator from Ondo State, and the former ambassador of Nigeria to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu from Benue State.
Among the nominees for career ambassador and high commissioner -designates are: Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi(Taraba), Miamuna Ibrahim Besto(Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni(Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David(Ebonyi) and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim(Ogun).The other nominees are Abimbola Samuel Reuben(Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah(Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau(Niger), Ambassador Shehu Barde(Katsina), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno(Borno), Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru(Kaduna), Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari(Kawara) and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande(Osun).
The new nominees are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains excellent and strategic bilateral relations, such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and to Permanent Missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union. All the nominees will know their diplomatic assignments after their confirmation by the Senate.
Meanwhile, last week, the President sent three ambassadorial nominees for screening and confirmation which were Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun).
All three are in the pot for posting to the United Kingdom, United States, or France after their confirmation while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said more nominees for ambassadorial positions will be announced soon.
